Find in Library
Search millions of books, articles, and more
Indexed Open Access Databases
Study of How Photoelectrodes Modified by TiO<sub>2</sub>/Ag Nanofibers in Various Structures Enhance the Efficiency of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells under Low Illumination
oleh: Yu-Hsun Nien, Huang-Hua Chen, Hui-Hsuan Hsu, Manjunath Rangasamy, Geng-Ming Hu, Zhen-Rong Yong, Po-Yu Kuo, Jung-Chuan Chou, Chih-Hsien Lai, Cheng-Chu Ko, Jun-Xiang Chang
Format: | Article |
---|---|
Diterbitkan: | MDPI AG 2020-05-01 |
Deskripsi
Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) are low-cost solar cells belonging to the thin-film photovoltaic cell type. In this study, we studied the photovoltaic performances of DSSCs based on titanium dioxide (TiO<sub>2</sub>) nanofibers (NFs) containing silver (Ag) nanoparticles (NPs) under low illumination. We used the sol-gel method with the electrospinning technique to prepare the TiO<sub>2</sub> NFs containing Ag NPs. Herein, we used two ways to add TiO<sub>2</sub>/Ag NFs to modify the photoelectrode successfully and enhance the performance of DSSCs. One way was that the TiO<sub>2</sub>/Ag NFs were mixed with pristine TiO<sub>2</sub>; the other way was that the TiO<sub>2</sub>/Ag NFs were seeded beside the TiO<sub>2</sub> colloid layer as an additional layer on the photoelectrode of the DSSC. According to this experiment, the photovoltaic conversion efficiency of the DSSC which had TiO<sub>2</sub>/Ag NF seeded as an additional layer on the photoelectrode (5.13%) was increased by 28% compared to the DSSC without the photoelectrode modification (3.99%). This was due to the suppression of electron recombination and the more effective utilization of the light radiation by adding the TiO<sub>2</sub>/Ag NFs. Because of the good conductivity of Ag, the electrons were quickly transported and electron recombination was reduced. In addition, the photovoltaic conversion efficiency of the DSSC which had TiO<sub>2</sub>/Ag NF seeded as an additional layer on the photoelectrode increased from 5.13% to 6.23% during the decrease in illumination from 100 mW/cm<sup>2</sup> to 30 mW/cm<sup>2</sup>; however, its photovoltaic conversion efficiency decreased to 5.31% when the illumination was lowered to 10 mW/cm<sup>2</sup>.